How can xanax help anxiety

It slows down the amount of movement of your brain chemicals which could be unbalanced, which can help resolve the symptoms of tension and anxiety. Xanax is made up of alprazolam which is part of the 1,4 benzodiazepine class of compounds for the central nervous system.

It consists of a white crystalline powder, which can be soluble in both methanol and ethanol. Inactive ingredients: Cellulose, corn starch, docusate sodium, lactose, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide and sodium benzoate. In addition, the 0. The primary use for Xanax is to treat panic attacks and anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are described as:. Xanax is also used to treat anxiety that may come from panic attacks. Panic attacks can happen unexpectedly or during specific situations such as driving or flying.

In these circumstances a higher dosage may be necessary. During the early stages of using Xanax there can be some side effects associated. They usually go away upon further use of the drug. The side effects could include:. Xanax typically treats symptoms that come on rather quickly and is used for a short period of time in combination with other prescriptions or treatment.

If your doctor prescribes Xanax it is likely to treat symptoms that come on abruptly and they are not a long-term solution. It is not a cure for anxiety, but it can help with immediate symptoms that occur from anxiety or panic attacks. Panic attacks can happen as a result of panic disorder or agoraphobia and Xanax can help with these symptoms. One of the reasons why Xanax is so effective for treating panic is that peak impact from the dose comes quickly.

Most people will experience it between one and two hours after taking their dose. The effects of Xanax are brief. Most people will feel the strongest impacts from the drug for two to four hours. If that happens, you may begin to notice it takes longer for you to feel the sedative effects of the drug, and the feelings may wear off more quickly.

Xanax has a half-life of about 11 hours. By that point, your body will eliminate half of the dose from your bloodstream. Everyone metabolizes medications differently, so the half-life is different from person to person. As Xanax wears off, most people will stop feeling the calm, relaxed, lethargic sensations that the drug is associated with. If you take this medication to relieve symptoms of anxiety, like a racing heart, those symptoms may begin to return as the drug is eliminated from your system.

A comedown is the letdown of high emotions following peak drug effects. This rebound anxiety or depression is usually temporary. Xanax has high potential to be a habit-forming drug. Symptoms of withdrawal typically begin two to seven days after your last dose. They can last two to eight weeks.

Some withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous. Your doctor can administer medication to help ease these symptoms and prevent further complications. Xanax can interact with several common medications, resulting in serious side effects. Your doctor can monitor your overall health and help prevent complications. Although this is more common when you begin taking the medication, it could happen at any time…. People taking Xanax often build up a tolerance. It may take longer to feel the effects of Xanax or it may not feel as strong.

Here's what you need to…. Xanax, the brand name for alprazolam, is a prescription medication used to treat anxiety and panic disorder. But can you accidentally overdose? If you have preexisting depression, alprazolam can make your depression symptoms worse. Call your doctor right away If your depression gets worse or you have suicidal thoughts while taking Xanax.

Long-term use of Xanax carries a high risk of physical and emotional dependence. Dependence means that you need more and more of the substance to achieve the same effect tolerance. You also experience mental and physical side effects withdrawal if you abruptly stop taking the drug. Suddenly stopping Xanax can lead to dangerous withdrawal symptoms. These include:. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive or unwarranted anxiety and worry for a period of at least six months.

Panic disorder is described by recurrent unexpected periods of intense fear, also known as a panic attack. During a panic attack, a person will usually have a pounding or racing heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, a choking feeling, dizziness, fear, and other symptoms.

In clinical trials , Xanax was shown to be better than a placebo in improving anxiety symptoms in people with anxiety or anxiety with depression.

For panic disorders, clinical studies found that Xanax significantly reduced the number of panic attacks experienced per week.

Some studies have found that Xanax to be just as effective as several other antidepressants, including amitriptyline , clomipramine , and imipramine , for the treatment of moderate depression, but not for severe depression. It was also not clear if the effects of Xanax was due to an actual antidepressant effect or rather a general positive effect on anxiety and sleep issues. With the arrival of newer antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs , the number of clinical trials evaluating Xanax in depression has significantly decreased.

There have been no clinical trials directly comparing Xanax to SSRIs or other newer antidepressants for treating depression. Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants.

One of the most common side effects of Xanax is depression, including feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest. See a doctor right away if your depression worsens or you are having thoughts of suicide while taking Xanax.

Like Xanax, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Drinking alcohol while taking Xanax can lead to dangerous can result in severe drowsiness, respiratory depression, coma and death. It may make depression worse in people who have a history of depression. If you have anxiety that is linked to depression , Xanax may be able to help with both conditions on a temporary basis.